PARIS, FRANCE – JULY 20: Justin Timberlake performs onstage during the 5th Lollapalooza Paris Festival on July 20, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Lyvans Boolaky/WireImage)
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Pop star Justin Timberlake was back in the news cycle last week, and–as is often the case for him these days–it wasn’t good.
Video footage of the 44-year-old performing in Europe on the final dates of his “Forget Tomorrow” world tour went viral on social media, with users declaring he appeared tired and disengaged.
Now, after wrapping the tour with a July 30 concert in Istanbul, Timberlake revealed in an Instagram post that he has been diagnosed with Lyme disease.
“…I don’t say (this) so you feel bad for me –– but to shed some light on what I’ve been up against behind the scenes,” he wrote Thursday.
“If you’ve experienced this disease or know someone who has — then you’re aware: living with this can be relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically. When I first got the diagnosis I was shocked for sure. But, at least I could understand why I would be onstage and in a massive amount of nerve pain or, just feeling crazy fatigue or sickness. ”
Timberlake didn’t mention when he was diagnosed, but said he “was faced with a personal decision” upon hearing the news: “Stop touring? Or, keep going and figure it out.”
“…I decided the joy that performing brings me far outweighs the fleeting stress my body was feeling. I’m so glad I kept going.”
Timberlake’s viral concert videos formed the latest chapter in an exceptionally rough year of PR for the “SexyBack” singer, starting with his DWI arrest in June of 2024.
His alleged quote to the police–“This is going to ruin the tour”–became a massive meme. He canceled several U.S. dates, citing struggles with the flu, bronchitis, laryngitis and a back injury. The concerts that continued as planned went under the microscope on TikTok, with users poking fun at stage malfunctions and lackluster moments.
In one widely shared clip from a June 28 concert in Dublin, Ireland, Timberlake set his microphone down on stage, instead having his audience sing the beginning of his 2016 hit “Can’t Stop the Feeling!”
In Thursday’s post, along with heaping praise on his fans, family and touring crew, Timberlake also revealed the “Forget Tomorrow” tour could possibly have been his last.
“I honestly don’t know what my future is onstage,” he wrote, “but I’ll always cherish this run! And all of them before ! It’s been the stuff of LEGEND for me.”